Back for automobile seats and the like



:Sept. 11, 192 1,684,062

s. J. LEACH ET AL BACK FOR AUTOMOBILE SEATS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 22, 1924 J 2 j aPINVENjORJ 6/ v a 1' 0 eac z 01/ By ijreci C (fZew/e.

A TTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 11, 1928. r 7 v sra'ras eArsnr oFFlcE.

SAG-ITO J'. LEACH ANDALIFBED C. EBERLE, OF ASHTABULA, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE ASHTABULA BOVJ SOCKET COMPANY, OF AEHTABULA, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

BACK FOR AUTOMOBZLE SEATS AN D THE LIKE. Application filed December 22, 1924. Serial No. 757,374.

In automobile seats of the type in which view showing one side of the seat fran'ie as the back foldable forwardly so as to lie illustrated in Fig. 1, but with certain modfiat on the seat when not in use. it has been ifications in construction; and Figsf9. 10, the practice heretofore to make the frame of Y11 and 12 are transverse sect ons of the side such back in the form of a ll shaped mallearm of such modified frame, the planes ofthe able casting. In order that the back when sections being indicated by the lines 9&9, covered or upholstered may have the proper 10-10, 1111 and 12-12,.Fig. 8. i shape and contour, it is necessary that the The base 1 of our improved seat is of upper and central portion of this frame usual construction, consistingas shownof a 10 .member should not only curve or be rounded flat wooden frame of general rectangular in a vertical plane, assuming the back to outline. For the purpose of securing the be raised, but also curve transversely as back frame member 2 to such base, two feet to lie to the rear of the respective side memor brackets '3 are suitably secured to said bers. Accordingly, as indicated, a malleable base in properly spaced relation adjacent 15 casting has been employed for such seat its rear edge. Each such bracket is formed back frame principally because of the peat its upper end with a transversely aperculiar conformation such member has had tured ear f and with a shoulder 3 immedito assume th is despite the fact that the ately to the rear of such ear, shown in weight of a member thus made from east Fig. 2. l V

0 iron is excessive and despite the furtl'ier The back frame member 2, as already fact that under the rather hard conditions indicated in the case where said member is of use to which automobile seats of the type made in the form of a malleable casting, in question are subjected, the side arms of comprises an upper central portion 2 and the frame frequently are broken off. integral therewith two similar side arms 2 25 The object of the present invention, acthat extend downwardly and are hingedly cordingly, is to provide such a seat frame attached to the upper ends of the feet or member fashioned from sheet metal tl'iat brackets 3 In fashioning this member will have not only the required shape but from sheet metal in accordance with the also present the importantac vantages of present invention, we preferably take a 30 greater lightness and superior strengtlrat strip of sheet steel of the proper gauge and the points where needed. having a uniform width, the same as that To the accomplishment of the foregoing which such top central portion 2 required and relatedends, he invention, then, consists to have. Such steel strips are cutlinto secof the means hereinafter fully described tionsthat equal the combined lengths of such and particularly pointed out in the claims, central portion andthe two side arms il of the annexed drawing and the followiug'dethe frame. The lower ends of these side scription setting forth in detail certain mecharms have their forward corners 2 rounded anism embodying the invention, such disoff and a transverse aperture 5 punched closed means constitutin however. but one therein, as shown in Fig. 8. Thereupon the 40 of various mechanical forms in which the portions of the strip correspond .with suchprinciple of the invention may be used.- side arms are placed between dies in suit- In' said annexed drawmg:- able. press and corresponding edges bent Fig. 1 is a front elevational view showing upwardly to form flanges 2 that extend the skeleton of a seat of the type in question, substantially for the entire length of the including the back mem e of present 111- respective arms. At the same time the terest; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; remainder of each strip portion in question Fig. 3 is a side elevat on, Fig. l a rear eleis bentat an angle to theintermediate poryation, and Fig. 5 an end elevation of the tion of the strip thatcorrcsponds withthe lower portion of one of the side arms of central or top portion 2" of the finished I 5 such frame, shown on a larger scale than frame member. I

the preceding figures; Figs. 6 and 7 are The angle at which such remainder is transverse sections of such side arm taken thus bent may increase gradually from the on the planes,indicated'bythe lines 66 and upper end of flange 2 to the lower end 77, Fig. 1, such sections being likewi e on thereof which coincides with the lower end 55 a larger scale; Fig. 8 is a broken elevational of the side arm when finished; or,'as shown I portion of flange 2 the lower edge lVhere lug 6 is welded ti on 2.

. in Figs. 3 and 4c in Figs. 6 and 7, such angle may be approximately a right angle throughout its entire extent.

The next step in the Operation is to bend the side arms towards each other at the points 2 where they merge into the central or top portion 2 and at the same time or else as a separate operation, such side arms are twisted with respect to the plane of the intermediate top portion 2 so as to bring the flanges 2 into substantially the same plane with such central or top portion. The remaining portions of the side arms constituting the main bodv thereof will, as a result of the foregoing pending or twisting operation, be caused to assume at the lower ends of said side arms a forwardly projecting position, the normal planc'surface there of covering or flaring outwardly gradually towards the top of each arm and thence around the corresponding upper corner where it merges into the central or top por- Such last mentioned portion is finally bent in its own plane to give it an upwardly curving effect, when viewed in frontelevation as shown in Fig.1, and as a result of this operation, the side arms are brought intoapproximately parallel relationship.

A lug in the form of a sheet metal stamping 6 is then riveted or preferably welded to the inner face of each side arm 2 adjacent the lower end thereof, such lug being formed with an aperture 7 that is aligned with aperture 5, the corresponding portion of the lug being offset with respect to the the side arm in which such aperture 5 is formed so as to leave a space between such portions of just the proper width to receive the ear 4 on bracket 3. Such oif set apertured portion 6 01": the lug, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is formed so as to overlie the adjacent inwardly directed edge of the of such flange bemg disposed so as to seat upon shoulder 3 of the bracket; when the back frame is inits raised position, as shown in Fig. 2. to the side arm, such welding is conveniently accomplished by means of a spot weld 8 at the point shown and by welding together the meeting edges of the overlying portion of such lug and of the flange 2?. A bolt 9 is employed to pivotally secure the lower end of each side arm to the corresponding bracket, as will be readily understood.

In the modified construction illustrated in Figs. 8 to 12, inclusive, instead of forming the inner portions of the respective side arms 10of the frame into flanges 2, a bead 10 is rolled or pressed into the portions of the strip that enter into such side arm, such bead being relatively shallow at its upper end, as shown in Fig. 9, increasing in depth at an intermediate point, as shown in Fig.

' iron construction '14 of steel may be 10, and finally running into the edge of the strip and being flattened out to form an angularly related flange 10 as it nears the lower end of the and 12.

The flange 2 in the first described c011- struction or the corresponding combination bead 10 and flange 10" in the second construction, constitute reinforcing elements that serve to impart rigidity to the side arms against strains tending to distort the frame in any direction in the general plane of the seat. The greater strains, of course, are encountered in a direction transverse to such strip, as shown in Figs. 11

plane, as for example when a passenger is sitting in the seat and leans againstthe back or is thrown against such back a olt or sudden starting movement of the automobile.

As a result of theforegoing construction and the use of steel as the material for the frame, which is thus rendered possible, the weight of the frame may be made considerably less than with the p'revailing malleable breaking strength of such frame is greatly increased. The cost of manufacture, moreover, will, if anything, be lessened and-in every way a superior product from the standpoint of the automobile manufacturer and user is obtained. 7 7 I It will be understood that whileour improved seat frame member may be most conveniently and economically fashioned from strip steel, such member] may be stamped up from sheet steel of corresponding gauge and the side arms and central portion thereupon fashioned as described from such stamping. It will also beunderstood that the particular order, in which the several operations involved in thus fashioning and central and top members such side arms have been described, may bevaried without affecting the final result. f

As shown in Fig. 1, a wire 12 is desirably stretched across the frame being attached to the respective side arms 2 near their lower ends, suitable holes 13 being provided for the purpose in the corresponding flanges 2, Instead of such wire, a flat band or strip substituted as shown in Fig. 8, the ends of such strip beingbent around the lower ends of the arms and secured thereto by rivets 15. Such wire, or band. as the case may be, assists ing side'sway and so contributes to the general rigidity of the frame.

Other modes of applying the principle of These strains are effectually resisterh by the relatively wlder portions of the side and at the same time the in prevent- 1 regards the mechanism our invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

lVe therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention 2- 1. As an article of manufacture, a back frame member for a seat of the type described, said member being fashioned from a unitary fiat piece of sheet metal of greater width than thickness and comprising a transversely extending top and two depending side arms continuous therewith and of substantially uniform thickness, and having a longitudinally extending portion lying in a plane approximately parallel with that of said top and a contiguous angularly related portion.

2. As an article of manufacture, a back frame member for a seat of the type described, comprising a transversely extending top presenting a flat forward face, and two depending side arms continuous therewith and of substantially uniform thickness gularly related to the remaining and gradually twisting from the plane of said top to present an edge forwardly at the lower end of each arm, each arm being further formed with a longitudinal flange ansaid arm.

8. As an article of manufacture, a back frame member for a seat of the type described, comprising a transversely extending top presenting a flat forward face, and two depending side arms continuous therewith and gradually twisting from the plane of said top to present anedge forwardly at the lower end of each arm, each arm being further formed with a longitudinal flange angularly related to the remaining portion of said arm, and apertured lugs secured tively, said lugs partially overlying the edge of the adjacent flange.

Signed by us this 19th day of December,

SAGITO J. LEACH. ALFRED C. EBER-LE.

portion of in oifset relation to such ends respec- 

